11+ review request, School Application Form and Moving House

Eleven Plus (11+) in Buckinghamshire (Bucks)

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aanthian
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2021 12:16 pm

11+ review request, School Application Form and Moving House

Post by aanthian »

Our daughter missed the required score for 11+ in Buckinghamshire by a few points. We are requesting a review as not achieving the score was not expected, we have very strong support from her current school, as well as circumstances that are extremely likely to have impacted her performance on the day.

As we are requesting a review, my understanding is that I should still put grammar school as my top preference on the school application form? Is that right?

Now an issue I have with that is that we are also moving home. Current home is actually out of catchement for the grammar school we are considering. However, new house will definitely be in catchment, only 0.6miles away fron the school. Our problem is that right now (while doing the school application form), we do not have any exchange or completion date yet! Am I wasting my time even putting the Grammar School as a preference?

IF it is still worth including it as our preference, in the section with multiple choices asking what the reason for chosing this particular school are (supporting reasons), should I select "my child lives in the catchment area", "I am selecting this school because of the distance from my child's home to this school, "I am selecting this school because it is easy to plan for my child to travel to this school "? As I said, although we are currently out of catchment (but it would still be easy to plan for my child to travel to this school!!!!), in a couple of months WE WILL be in catchment!

Another of the choices is "I believe my child can pass this school's entrance test". As I explained at the beginning, she didn't pass, but we are requesting a review, so should I tick this box too?

I hope someone can help me here!
Thank you
scary mum
Posts: 8841
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: 11+ review request, School Application Form and Moving H

Post by scary mum »

I've moved your thread to Buckinghamshire where you should get more replies.
scary mum
scary mum
Posts: 8841
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: 11+ review request, School Application Form and Moving H

Post by scary mum »

As we are requesting a review, my understanding is that I should still put grammar school as my top preference on the school application form? Is that right?
Yes, if you are successful at review, she will be treated exactly as if she had achieved the required score in the first place. If it is your first choice, put it first (but see below regarding moving house).
Now an issue I have with that is that we are also moving home. Current home is actually out of catchement for the grammar school we are considering. However, new house will definitely be in catchment, only 0.6miles away fron the school. Our problem is that right now (while doing the school application form), we do not have any exchange or completion date yet! Am I wasting my time even putting the Grammar School as a preference?
No you aren't, but your appliaction will not be considered in the first round of applications. Depending on the school, you could move into catchment & find that no places are allocated in the later rounds. The details regarding moving house evidence & deadlines are here
What to do if you are moving to a new house
We use the address where you and your child are living on 31 October 2021 for the first round of allocations on 1 March 2022. If you have moved to this address after 1 September 2021 you will need to provide evidence to confirm your move and that you are living in your new home before we will accept your new address.

If you move between 1 November 2021 and 28 February 2022, once we are satisfied you are living there we will use your new address from the 3rd round of allocations. You must provide evidence by the dates within the admissions deadlines.

Dr Challoner’s High School, Dr Challoner's Grammar School and Royal Grammar School have different deadlines for being considered as living in catchment so check the rules if these are the schools you are applying for.
Note that many schools made no additional allocations in the third round. You may need to appeal against over-subscription.
IF it is still worth including it as our preference, in the section with multiple choices asking what the reason for chosing this particular school are (supporting reasons), should I select "my child lives in the catchment area", "I am selecting this school because of the distance from my child's home to this school, "I am selecting this school because it is easy to plan for my child to travel to this school "? As I said, although we are currently out of catchment (but it would still be easy to plan for my child to travel to this school!!!!), in a couple of months WE WILL be in catchment!

Another of the choices is "I believe my child can pass this school's entrance test". As I explained at the beginning, she didn't pass, but we are requesting a review, so should I tick this box too?
I'm not sure how relevant this section is. The schools have to follow their admissions criteria so wanting the school because it is closest etc is irrelevant.
I'm not an appeals/review expert and others will be able to give you further advice.

ETA: you can find the previous allocations here
scary mum
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: 11+ review request, School Application Form and Moving H

Post by Etienne »

aanthian wrote:As we are requesting a review, my understanding is that I should still put grammar school as my top preference on the school application form? Is that right?
Is the grammar school your first preference? If so, you put it first.
Am I wasting my time even putting the Grammar School as a preference?
Perhaps, but if you might want to appeal, it needs to be a preference.

If you do move, and there's any possibility of a place from the waiting list, would you not want it to be considered as one of your preferences?
In the section with multiple choices asking what the reason for chosing this particular school are (supporting reasons), should I select .....
Don't worry - I don't think anyone is going to read this section unless there's an appeal in the summer term!
Meanwhile give answers that an appeal panel will consider to have been as truthful as possible in the circumstances:
    • "my child lives in the catchment area"
      No
      "I am selecting this school because of the distance from my child's home to this school"
      No
      "I am selecting this school because it is easy to plan for my child to travel to this school"
      Yes
      "I believe my child can pass this school's entrance test"
      Yes
Etienne
aanthian
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2021 12:16 pm

Re: 11+ review request, School Application Form and Moving H

Post by aanthian »

Thank you very much for your reply. All very useful!

One last question I have is about the Review Request: when filling the form from Bucks council, in the "reasons for selection review" section, should I write it as I would write a letter (i.e: starting with something along the lines of "dear..., I would be grateful if you would consider....") or should I just list points straight away?
Moderators
Posts: 251
Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2014 11:45 am

Re: 11+ review request, School Application Form and Moving H

Post by Moderators »

Please use your thread on the Appeals forum for questions about reviews/appeals.
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